Earlier this week, Roku announced a refresh to its line-up of streaming sticks and boxes, including a brand new Roku OS 8 that would come to the old and new hardware alike. You can read more about Roku OS 8 at the link above, or here on Roku's site, but the gist is that voice searches and controls are improved, antenna TV listings for broadcast channels are included in search results if you have an HDTV antenna connected to your Roku, and private listening (TV speakers off, uses your phone or the 3.5mm jack on your Roku remote) works for antenna TV too and not just streaming.

All these features are live in the app as well. You'll need to have your Roku device updated to OS 8 to take advantage of them, but you'll be able to use the new searches, check the channel guide of antenna TV channels and listen to them privately, all from your phone. That's nice if your remote is lost or your kids/partner have confiscated it.

WHAT'S NEW

Roku mobile app v.4.1.0 includes new features of Roku OS 8 for Roku streaming players and Roku TV™ models. Roku OS 8 will begin rolling out to Roku players in early October, and Roku TV models beginning in November.